Internship Course Reflection-E1

 

E1-Exemplifying professionally-informed, growth-centered practice to me means continuing education to improve teaching skills, keeping up on current trends in education, and participating in educational professional organizations to develop growth and perform leadership roles. It also means building relationships with students and getting their feedback in order to know where to focus professionally to become an effective teacher.

 
Maybe it is because I personally like taking surveys that the student survey exercise resonated with me. I found the survey results eye-opening and helpful. By pin pointing specific areas to obtain feedback anonymously from the students directly, I was able to consider where the students were coming from, and reflect on ways to make improvements in my teaching practice. Knowing what areas I want to improve upon for overall student growth allows me to consider how I will go about obtaining additional skills, knowledge, and training in my teaching strategies and methodologies.

 
For example, the survey showed that 37% of students felt the teacher “somewhat” made them think first before she answered their questions. I would like to see an increase in that figure. By having a set goal in mind, say 60% “mostly” feel the teacher makes them think first before supplying the answers, I can research and experiment with ways to improve my teaching practice and strategies. If I am unsure how to go about achieving this goal, I can reach out to professional organizations that I belong to, online educational communities with which I have registered, and even find periodicals and books on the subject to gain insight and knowledge.

 

 

 

A growth-centered practice includes taking the information obtained from students, parents, peers, and administrations and reflecting on how I can improve as a teacher. Gathering survey results and organizing them in a way to track improvements and areas in greater need for attention can help me as a professional stay abreast of my students’ needs. Growing professionally should never cease regardless of the career, but especially in the area of education. Each student is different with a different set of issues, needs, and personality. In addition, student culture as a whole changes over time. I was honestly shocked at the usage of cell phones among students in the classroom. “Workplaces and schools actually encourage this type of multi-tasking,” (Medina, 2008). This cultural shift in our society and schools is something I need to learn to embrace, or at the very least, deal with constructively. Educators need to be flexible and keep on top of new strategies and trends in the industry. By participating in professional organizations and having support groups to help me learn how best to work with our student population and incorporate affective strategies, I will continue to learn and grow in my practice and develop successful students.

 
Reference:
Medina, J. (2008). Brain rules: 12 principles for surviving and thriving at work, home, and school. Pear Press.

 

E1-Exemplify Professionally-Informed, Growth-Centered Practice

E1-Exemplifying professionally-informed, growth-centered practice to me means continuing education to improve teaching skills, keeping up on current trends in education, and participating in educational professional organizations to develop growth and perform leadership roles.

During one formative assessment, my English Language Learners (ELL) mentor teacher provided me with valuable feedback. The areas she noted for further development included differentiation, classroom management and delivery, and setting student expectations.

While I used several differentiation techniques with both the ELL classes and the inclusive mainstream English Language Arts (ELA) classes, there is still much to learn about differentiating to meet a variety of student needs. ELL classes in particular pose a challenge as students’ proficiency range greatly within one classroom. Luckily, my classes this semester included two instructor’s assistants who were there to help those students in great need. However, that may not be the case in the school where I end up teaching. Or, as in the case at the school I am interning, the IA’s are not available every day. On those days, I am alone juggling several levels at once. Additional training in this area will help me to become more proficient with differentiating instruction to meet all students’ needs.

One way to gain additional training in all of these areas is through professional organizations. I plan to investigate professional organizations for ELL teachers in California so I can begin networking and gaining information even before I move there. One organization I will look into is CATESOL, http://www.catesol.org/. On the international level, I will investigate http://www.tesol.org/. In addition, I have been in touch with a language school in the area I will live, and I will ask them what organizations they favor. Being a part of such professional organizations, not only allows for networking, but they provide support, information about the specific area of education, current national and local issues, and training and development opportunities. In addition to developing my own skills, strategies, and methods,  I plan to get involved to advocate for educational issues surrounding the ELL student population.

Being involved in industry professional organizations is important to me. In my previous career, I was a member of the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters (CPCU) organization. Being CPCU is a prestigious role that requires completion of lengthy and rigorous exams. Being a part of this professional organization was important to me to further my career, enhance my industry knowledge, and demonstrate leadership within the industry.

Professional growth and development never ceases. It is an ongoing process that is nurtured throughout my career, whatever that career happens to be. I look forward to continuing to learn, develop, and grow to become a better teacher and a leader in education.

P3-Practicing Standards-Based Assessments

P3-Practicing standards-based assessment means considering the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) when both developing curriculum, as well as developing the assessment tools in conjunction with the curriculum. As I have been developing my units on “The Kite Runner” and “Hamlet” in the English Language Arts classes I am currently teaching, I have developed corresponding assessment tools that align with the unit and the CCSS.

“The Kite Runner” unit focused on the following Common Core State Standards:

By developing a rubric for the final essay that focused on these standards, I was able to accurately assess the students’ comprehension of the text and writing abilities. This was my first experience with developing a formal assessment for a class of high school students.

My assessment included requiring students to submit an outline and a peer- reviewed rough draft in order to meet the W-12.5 CCSS. The essay assignment focused on RL-12.2 and W-12.2 as students wrote an informative/explanatory essay to examine the particular themes of the novel and convey complex ideas, concepts. They were required to cite quotations, and support claims with evidence.

In addition, the post reading discussion questions each day focused on RL-12.2 as students were required to practice deep critical thinking about the various themes in the novel and discuss in small groups. Through informal assessments, I was able to focus on students’ understanding of the text, their participation, and ability to make inferences and predictions.

I find that if I stay focused on the CCSS while developing my units and lesson plans, creating assessments becomes more seamless as I align the assessments with the central focus and learning targets. As I am still developing skills in these areas, I feel confident that with practice, I will become more proficient in aligning my assessments with the unit goals. Ultimately, assessing students using standard-based assessments will become second nature and an experienced teacher doesn’t even need to think too deeply about this if her lessons are planned with the CCSS in mind from the start.

Further development in this area will include revisiting the assessment courses I have taken over the past two years, and reviewing the materials and assessment tools introduced. I especially want to be mindful of the variety of students I will be teaching and practice differentiated assessment, as well as differentiated instruction techniques.

H3-Honor the Classroom and School Community as a Milieu for Learning

 

H3-Honoring the classroom and school community as a milieu for learning to me means the learning goes beyond the traditional top down teacher to student approach. The entire classroom and school community should be encouraging and promoting learning from each other regardless of position, grade, or content area.

 
At the school where I am student teaching I consistently witness this type of learning environment. Observing students learning from each other is rewarding as a future educator, demonstrating the power of teaching students how to learn. The English Language Learners (ELL) Language Arts class is a prime example of honoring the classroom and entire school community as a milieu for learning. The class consists of students of varying levels of English language proficiency from beginner to intermediate, and the stronger students support their peers by assisting and mentoring them when doing collaborative work. While the students come from a diverse range of cultures, they have clearly formed a close bond with one another and try to help each other succeed.

 
In addition to students learning from each other within the classroom, students also learn from other students. As part of the senior final projects for mainstream history, some students are preparing presentations, PowerPoints, and artistic expressions rather than a final essay. The students are presenting their final reports to the ELL class as part of their assignment. One student presented her final on the history and evolution of telephones. This topic fell in line with the ELL class unit on “Looking into the Future,” making the presentation relevant and interesting for the ELL students. They could definitely relate as they all have attachments to their iPhones! Both the presenter and the class of younger ELL students benefited from the exchange. Three of the ELL students are preparing PowerPoint presentations of their own for another class, and having a “mainstream” student demonstrate and model for them created a sense of confidence and encouragement for these students, as they prepare to transition into mainstream classes next fall.

Another assignment for this same ELL class requires the students to interview an “expert” in the school community about a topic relating to the future. For example, a student may interview the librarian about how she envisions libraries or books to look in the future. Or someone might interview one of the cafeteria staff to inquire how food might change in the future. This  assignment pushes the students encouraging them to seek out experts within the school community, gain confidence in asking for an interview, and allows the staff to connect with the students outside of the traditional classroom setting.

Future Interview Project

 
In addition, I observed the school community coming together to discuss a student’s Individual Educational Plan. Teachers from each of the student’s failing classes came together, along with the counselor, special education coordinator, and vice-principal to discuss the situation with the student and parent. Chairs were arranged in a circle to promote equality of ideas and open conversation. The student was encouraged to develop her own plan for success as the rest of the team provided feedback and suggestions. Teachers worked together post-meeting to communicate the student’s progress.

 
There are many ways to honor the classroom and school community as a milieu for learning, and I feel that the school where I’m teaching is modeling this in many different ways. Students are supported in their learning and sharing of knowledge with other students in a constructive and beneficial way. I have personally learned a lot from observing the various techniques and by reflecting on their effectiveness. I plan to take some of these models with me wherever I land a teaching job, and look forward to learning more from seasoned teachers and mentors in my future. Furthermore, the teachers and staff also learn enormous amounts from the students. As a new teacher especially, I am learning from my students every day. I learn what they are learning in other classes, I learn about the students’ needs, interests, and skills. I learn about teenagers, and how they think and what motivates them. And mostly I learn how to become a better teacher in the future.

H2-Honoring Students Access to Content Material

H2-Honoring student access to content material means ensuring that students have the materials necessary for their success and achievement in the content area. As an English Language Arts (ELA) teacher of mainstream students, inclusion classes, and English language learners (ELL), it is paramount to consider the needs of each student. One area of focus is making sure the students have access to the specific content material that best helps them learn according to their learning style.

 
An example of how I am providing access to content material is through the “Hamlet” unit I designed during my internship. My unit was adapted for both the mainstream inclusion ELA classes of 12th graders and the 10/11 grade ELL class. The modernized version of the play is one way I am providing the material so students have the opportunity to read the modern version side-by-side with the traditional English version. These books were available from the ELL department, and I was able to borrow them for the mainstream ELA classes. In addition, the school library provided me with several copies of the traditional books for those students who either don’t need the same scaffolding or simply desire the additional academic challenge. With these two versions all students have access to the content material that works best for their learning needs. The students listen to the audio while they read along. This strategy is alternated with in-class reading aloud.

 

In addition, I was able to locate two different versions of the movie “Hamlet.” The version we are watching in conjunction with the readings is an exact adaptation of the play word for word. This is especially helpful for students to be able to follow along and revisit the language. At the end of the unit, students will watch the other version and have the opportunity to compare and contrast the two and provide feedback.

 
Another strategy that has proven helpful for providing access to the material is reading the children’s storybook version of the play. My mentor teacher suggested actually reading the story aloud to the ELA students and they loved it! I also read the story to the ELL students, who enjoyed it as well. ELL students rarely have had stories read to them as children, so they were especially receptive and captivated.

 
I feel confident that I have discovered ample tools and methods for providing all of my students the content materials that work for them. During my weekly Jeopardy review games, I can assess learning. Through these informal reviews, the students are demonstrating their understanding of the text in “Hamlet.”

Hamlet Jeopardy Round Three

 
Moving forward in my career I will focus on the types of learners I have in my classes, get to know my students, their educational backgrounds, interests, and challenges. I will need to determine the best strategies and methods to provide them with the content materials to ensure their success. I will likely need to be actively involved in professional communities on line, or other collaborative groups of educators who specialize in ELA and ELL students in order to gain insight and learn about innovative tools to assist me in this area.

 
I have learned valuable lessons through planning and implementing this unit. I was unfamiliar with how to approach teaching “Hamlet” at the beginning of my internship, and now as I am wrapping up the unit, I feel more confident and excited to teach it again making some minor changes based on my experiences this quarter. I can see my own enthusiasm for the play is spilling over onto the students as well the more we get into the plot and characters. It’s actually quite rewarding.

H4-Honoring Family/Community Involvement in the Learning Process

H4- Honoring family and community involvement in the learning process means going beyond the academic curricula in the classroom to help students connect their in-school educational experiences to their communities and society at large. Involving family through parent/teacher conferences and Individual Educational Plan (IEP) meetings, as well as keeping them informed via school communication websites are beneficial to the students’ academic goals. However, going beyond the classroom to involve families and the community in events and activities that enhance the learning process, results in greater student interest and purposeful learning.

 
In my 4th period English Language Learners ELA class, the students requested a pot luck lunch where each student brings a dish from their native country. My mentor teacher and I agreed as long as the families were on board. Often students fail to consider the cost of ingredients and time involved in preparing meals, unless they are actively involved in planning, shopping, and cooking for their families. It turned out the families were delighted to participate. Some students helped their parents make the dishes, and some made the dishes themselves. On the day of the event, there was food represented from all our students’ home countries. Some of the selections included empanadas from Mexico, samosas from Somali, injera from Ethiopia, napoleon Russian cake, and several varieties of chicken and rice dishes from Peru, Thailand, and Nepal. The students embraced each of the dishes with gusto and interest as they shared recipes, secret ingredients, and cooking techniques with each other. If there is one way to break barriers and build cultural bridges, it is through food!

 
Witnessing the students’ enthusiasm, the Instructor’s Assistance (IA) made contact with a local African restaurant that specializes in all locally grown organic foods and ingredients. He wanted to take the experience a step further and show the students the benefits of growing their own food in their gardens or private pea patches. The restaurant agreed to supply a healthy, locally grown, organic meal gratis, and the IA surprised the students one afternoon right before the lunch bell.

 
Large trays of okra, cabbage, carrots, spinach, fresh green salad, eggplant, sweet potatoes, yucca, ugali, and chicken lined the long table in the classroom. Those students from African countries shared their knowledge of the African dishes, and those from elsewhere savored the new flavors. The IA explained where the food was grown and a bit about the preparation. Everyone enjoyed!

The event makes a perfect gateway activity for our unit on “Looking into the Future” (Chamot, et. al., 2004), which includes a section about how food will look in the future, how it will be produced, grown, and prepared. There is an article about GMOs, and how they affect our food and health. The local restaurant’s involvement, as well as each family’s participation, add to this unit, and enable students to make the connection from their textbooks to their personal lives.

While the IA contacted the restaurant and organized this event, it impacted me as a teacher to consider similar opportunities for future lessons in my teaching career. What other ways can I encourage neighborhood business owners and families to participate directly in classroom activities that connect to the curriculum and support student learning? This question allows me to think creatively, while planning curricula and considering what I know about each of my students.

Reference:

Chamot, A., Hartmann, P., and Huizenga, J. (2004). Shining star. Pearson Education Inc.

P2-Practicing Differentiated Instruction

Practicing differentiated instruction means knowing your students, their backgrounds, and goals in order to develop curricula that meets every student’s individual needs so they can succeed. This is one of the biggest challenges facing teachers in today’s classrooms. According to experts like Tomlinson (1999, from Willis and Mann, 200), differentiated instruction is not a new concept. Back in the days of the one-room schoolhouse, when students ages 6–16 learned together, differentiated instruction was the norm. However, today’s schools are much larger and more diverse than ever before. There is a growing English Language Learner (ELL) population with a wide range of academic and English language proficiency. In addition, there are more students with Individual Learning Plans (IEP’s) than ever before due to advanced knowledge of a variety of learning disabilities (LD’s) and how educators can make accommodations.

Differentiating is probably the most important strategy for a teacher, and it is also one of the most challenging. In the ELL English Language Arts (ELA) classroom I teach, the number of students is relatively small compared to the general mainstream ELA classrooms, but the academic and language proficiency are quite broad. In contrast, the mainstream ELA class is an inclusion class of mostly native English speakers, but 9 of the twenty-three students have IEP’s with accommodations.

How do educators plan a unit that challenges those students who excel or are “gifted” without leaving the struggling students behind in a wave of frustration and failure? As an intern, I am still trying to answer that question.

This quarter, I am teaching Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” to both my ELL and mainstream ELA classes. One strategy I am using to accommodate all students is using Barron’s “Shakespeare Made Easy” (1986) which includes the modern English version side-by-side with full original text. This will allow students who need the scaffolding to ease into the complex and unfamiliar language of Shakespeare. In conjunction with the text, students will listen to the audio version of the play as they read along with the original version, as well as have opportunities to read aloud with the traditional text.

 

Another way I am differentiating is to incorporate a variety of lesson plans into my unit which include reading aloud, play acting for those kinesthetic learners, and written character analysis for those read-write learners. I have also designed a variety of assessment tools allowing students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the play’s plot lines, characters, and language through verbal and performance based assessments, artistic methods, or written expression.

Hamlet Assignment Choices

 

I do not claim to even come close to mastering the techniques of differentiated instruction in such a short amount of time. However, working in these classrooms with diverse learners has demonstrated to me just how prevalent the need is both with ELL students and mainstream students. Placing great attention to this area of instruction will be my focus as I continue to teach. It takes getting to know the students, their learning preferences, personalities, and personal interests to be able to design an effective unit that meets their individual needs. It is my hope that with continued professional training, growth and experience, I will eventually become distinguished in this teaching strategy.

 

Reference:

Willis, S. and Mann, L. (2000) Finding manageable ways to meet individual needs. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Retrieved from: http://www.ascd.org/publications/curriculum-update/winter2000/Differentiating-Instruction.aspx

O1-Organized Curriculum Aligned to Standards and Outcomes

O1-Offering an organized curriculum aligned to standards and outcomes means providing students with a curriculum that relates to the common core state standards (CCSS), unit central focus, and daily learning targets in a way that students understand the purpose, are appropriately challenged, and can obtain positive outcomes.

 
My unit plan for “The Kite Runner” is an example of such a curriculum. The unit focuses on CCSS RL 12.1, 2, and 4, and W 12.2 and 5. The central focus “read, create, discuss, dissect, analyze, annotate, find running themes, and write about “The Kite Runner” citing specific evidence and warrants to support your claims” ties directly to the standards. In addition, the daily learning target provides students with the opportunity to focus on academic language, and allows them to consider the importance of what they are learning each day, and how the lessons relate to the bigger picture of the central focus. Providing an opportunity for students to reflect on the learning target allows the teacher to adequately plan future curricula.

The lessons in “The Kite Runner” unit build upon one another as they increase the students’ skills gradually over the course of the unit. (See Unit Plan Attached)

Kite Runner Unit Outline

 
Considering this particular principle of HOPE enabled me to focus on the organization of the curriculum, and stay on target with regard to the goals and desired outcomes. In addition, I learned how important it is to consider each step in the planning process carefully in advance, as well as to be prepared for the necessary flexibility that comes with teaching high school students. Besides including accommodations for English Language Learners (ELL’s) and students on Individual Educational Plans (IEP’s) and 504’s, the curriculum needs to account for a variety of unexpected changes due to absences, fire drills, school assemblies, and the like. A well-organized curriculum should be planned in such a way it is easily modified to accommodate students’ needs and time constraints.

 
The assessments within the curriculum should be clear and easily understood by students and staff in order for everyone to know exactly what it takes for students to achieve the desired academic outcomes. Making sure the curriculum is aligned with the standards and outcomes helps teachers to be organized so they can focus on their students, and have confidence that both students and teacher know where the lessons are leading. For this novice teacher, creating organized lessons that align with the CCSS and specific outcomes requires additional practice, experience, and feedback from mentors, as well as from students through student voice and assessments. Continued growth in this area will be paramount as I become more proficient and gain experience as an educator.

References:

OSPI, Washington State Common Core Standards, http://www.k12.wa.us/CoreStandards/ELAstandards/pubdocs/CCSSI_ELA_Standards.pdf#34

Collaboration within the School- E2

E2 – To exemplify collaboration within the school means working together as a team, students, teachers, and staff, to ensure success for all students, across all content area. It is important that everyone within the school community strives to reach the common goal and supports one another in obtaining those goals. The high school where I am student teaching has a mission:

“X High School is an inclusive, supportive community that cultivates a tradition of excellence for all students.” ~adopted May, 2008

One of the school’s academic goals is to encourage and improve the overall reading scores on standardized tests. Educators recognized that the best way to achieve this goal is to make reading a priority across content areas, not just in the English Language Arts (ELA) classes. The entire school participates in a 20 minute silent reading session during the homeroom period. The school schedule has been realigned to include an additional 20 minutes to second period where the students focus on independent silent reading regardless of the subject area. Students can read anything they wish, homework, textbooks, or a personal book of their choice, as long as they are spending the time reading. However, this does not include online magazines or websites.  Since the advent of the program, the overall reading scores have increased from 87.4% in 2011-2012 school year to 94.2% in 2012-2013. The school’s reading goal for this academic year is 95% (figures obtained from development and professional training seminar, August 2013).

In addition to the 20 minute silent reading per day, the ELA department has instituted an additional period of silent reading, either on Mondays or Fridays. During that time, students are encouraged to read their self-chosen semester book. Students are provided with a list of grade level book options at the beginning of the semester. Upon completion, they have a wide range of options for the final project including, but not limited to,  writing a scene for the book, creating a debate between characters, write a poem, creating a comic strip, or writing a resume for one of the main characters. A complete list follows:

2nd Semester Novel Friday SSR Choices

One option for the first semester reading assignment was to create a T-shirt design that depicted a cover representing the book. T-shirts are posted on display around the ELA classroom where I am interning providing students with a sense of pride and accomplishment.

The purpose of the intensive reading practice is to encourage close reading of complex text, provide a variety of genres for students to read and feel comfortable with, encourage students reading for information and pleasure. Teachers are reminded of the art of active reading during professional training and development seminars :

• Use pencil to follow along (write response)
• Do not just find answers to questions, but understand entire meaning
• Look up words
• Re-read and paraphrase
• Read aloud or with a partner
• Question, comment, make connections, and make notes in the margins

These techniques can be taught during classroom teaching time and encouraged during designated reading time.

As a student teacher, I am inspired by the way the school community has come together to focus on the common goal. The students, too, seem to embrace the concept of using the time to read text across content areas, or read outside books for pleasure.  I enjoy observing what books students are reading outside of their regular required curriculum, talking to them about the books they are reading, and hearing their thoughts.  I particularly like the differentiation of the final project options the students can choose from. The list allows students with a variety of learning styles and interests to choose what works best for them to showcase their skills and understanding of the reading. I would like to explore more ideas for culminating projects, and add to the list as I gain more experience as a teacher. Furthermore, I would like to see how this concept of coming together as a community to improve reading, can be adapted to writing proficiency as well. Possibly, by increasing and improving reading throughout the school, improved writing will ultimately be a residual outcome.  It will be interesting to see if the writing test scores improve from 88.1% to the stated goal of 90%.

Overall I believe the school where I am teaching does work together as a cohesive team to create a positive atmosphere to attain the goals set for student achievement.

Conceptual Unit – EDU 6361

Kite Runner Unit

Introduction:

This unit on “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini is designed for mainstream 12th grade English Language Arts students. The class includes nine students with IEP’s and two ELL students who have waived ELL services. The unit is designed to accommodate all students’ needs and learning styles. Students have multiple opportunities to speak, write, work independently, collaboratively, use their artistic skills, and technology to assist them with their learning, and demonstrate their understanding of the complex text.

Each Friday students will complete an exit slip for the week. Depending on the student responses, the teacher will incorporate additional discussion, review, or grammar instruction as needed into the following week’s lessons. Therefore, while the unit is well-planned, there is always a need for flexibility to address areas of concern as they arise.

While the unit stretches over a seven week period, it is a necessary length of time due to the complexity and nature of the text.

Complete unit:  Kite Runner Unit Outline

Attachments:

Vocabulary Squares Rubric

Theme Journal Rubric

Theme Based-Dialectical Journal

Unit Final Essay Rubric

Vocabulary Squares Graphic Organizer